Flexible pocket receptacle having pivotally supported units



April 13, I948. e. R. HAWES 9,

FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE HAVING PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED UNITS Filed March14, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 164 4 7" TTORN Y5 April 13, 1948. I G. R.HAWES FLEXIBLE RECEPTACLE HAVING PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED UNITS Filed March14, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'TOR fire/r 51? 121mm! ATTORzEYS April13, 1948. s. RQHAWES 2,439,731

FLEXIBLE PQCKET RECEPTACLE HAVING PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED UNITS Filed March14, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR v 7 G207? a: 1?. flan za- 3 Z 9 ATTOYS Patented Apr. 13, 1948 FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLE HAVING PIVOTALLYSUPPORTED UNITS George R. Hawes, Longmeadow, Mass, assignor to Buxton,Incorporated, Springfield, Mass, a corporation of MassachusettsApplication March 14, 1944, Serial No. 526,413

4 Claims. (Cl. 150-39) This invention relates to an improvement inflexible pocket receptacles designed for carrying pass cards and similararticles either with or without a capacity for carrying other articlessuch as currency and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved structurewhichiwill carry the pass cards with greater security and providegreater convenience in their display.

A further object is to provide a pass card supporting structure whichmay be permanently or temporarily incorporated with conventionalbillfold structures with the advantages above mentioned and at the sametime obviating certain disadvantages heretofore encountered when passcards and the like are carried in billfolds.

Other and further objects residing in the details of the constructionwill be made apparent in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which show several illustrative embodimentsof the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a pass case embodying myinvention, the case being shown open with one of the pass envelopes(shown in dotted lines) swung outwardly of the support to inspectionposition;

Fig. 2 is. a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, the casebeing closed;

Fig. 3 is a bottom edge view of the case as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the pass envelopespivoted at their inner corners;

Fig. 5 is a detail view'of one of the pass envelopes, parts being brokenaway.

i Fig. 6 is a front elevational view showing the invention combined withbillfold structure, the billfold being shown open and with parts brokenaway;

. Fig. 7 is a sectional view substantially on line 5-1 of Fi 6; I

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but showing astructure modified topermit removal of the pass carrying unit from the billfold, parts beingbroken away; i

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the pass carrying unit of Fig. 8removed from the billfold, parts being broken away;

Figs..10 and 11 are detail views of the means for lreleas'ably holdingthe pass carrying unit of Figs. 8 and 9 in the billfold, Fig. 11 being asecv tional view taken substantially on line H-II,

of Fig.8; i

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view showing the manner ofmassembling anddisassembling the pass unit and billfold combination of Fig. 8;

Fig. .13 is a diagrammatic View showing the manner of operationby which.the pass envelopes are released from interlocking interference to permitthem to be swung-outwardly of the billfolds of Figs. 6 and 8; a i

Figs. 14 and 15 are detail viewsshowing alternative forms of pivotalconnections for the envelopes by which the envelopes may be madedetachable from the support; and

Fig. 16 is a front elevational View showing another way of combining thepass case of Fig. 1 with billfold structure.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusivethe pass case is shown as including asupporting member l0, preferably formed of leather or similar flexiblematerial, within the borders of-which the pass display .envelopes,generally indicated at II are normally positioned. The pass .envelopesare shown as formed of two pieces of transparent material [2 such asCelluloid or the like held together at one end and both side edges by asuitable binding material as indicated at l3 in Fig. 5. Through the openend I4 of the envelope one or two cards I5, or similar material, may beinserted for display through opposite sides of the envelope. The exactdetails "of the structure of the envelopes as so far described are notimportant and their construction may be varied as found desirable.According to my invention, I provide the envelopes at one corner with anextending tab I6. This tab may be formed integral with the sheets [2 andispreferably positioned to. extend from one side of the envelopeadjacent the open end Id. The envelopes are pivotally connected to thesupporting member II] by rivets I! or similar members passing throughopenings 18 in the ears. In the drawings, the rivets I1 are shown aspassing.

member It} as shown in dotted lines in said figure. The member I isformed with a transverse line of fold it. Preferably one or moreenvelopes are arranged on opposite sides of the line of fold I9 withtheir ends 23, which are remote from their pivots, adjacent the line offold as shown in Fig. 1. End pieces 20 are secured to the ends andbottom edge of the member I!) to form pockets in which the envelopesnest, when within the confines of the member I0, the open ends it of theenvelopes being positioned adjacent a closed side of the lJOCkets, thuspreventing the passes from working outwardly of the envelopes. Members"'20 separate and protect the exposed surfaces of the envelopes fromrubbing against each other when the support I 0 is folded to close thecase.

The member in is providedwith aportion Zl Fig. 2 the portion 2| maybefolded over onto the rear face of the member I0, as shown in Figs.

- bination, separation of the pass case from the 2 and 3, and secured bya sna'p fast'ener z 2 to hold the case closed. H i

The ends 23 0f the envelopes remote from thei pivots are preferablypositioned sufliciently close to the line of fold 19 so that said "fold"engages or is in near engagement with the ends 23, when the supportisfoldedftoprevnt any substantial outward swinging movement of theenvelopes. Since the ends 23 'thu sen gaged are the "leadin ends ofthe.e'nvelops'intheir swingingmovement their engagement by the fold "I ileffectively prevents outward movement of the "envelopes while leaving"the leadin'gside edges 24 adjacent the pivots free to be graspedwhenthe case is open without any closure flap'bfl f 'in the'wa'y. Thisarrangement also leaves the edges 25 "exposed so that they may be'previded with'index'receiving tabs 25, ii desiredforfaeilitatirljgselection of a desired card'for inspection.

If, as sho'wnin Fig. '4', the envelopes are pivoted at their cornersadjacentfol'd '[9 the envelopes r v held w thin h q finss o t e s by theengagement'withtheir'leading'ends of the fold 250i portion 2i.

In Figs. 631. 3 '7 isillustrated"one manner in which the presentinvention "may *be advantase us y'i r ra din 'af i QBIS I' WR- Rferrin'g to the latterflfijgures, a billfold is shown comprisingan 'o'lter wall "3B1and inner wall 3|. connected togetherat' theirendan'dbottom side edges to form between them an elongated "bill compartment'32. A partitio'n'wall is shown at 33 which divides the bill compartmentin "the usual manner. It 'will'be understoodthat the several wallmembers may "be made up in any conventional or desired manner. As shown(Fig. 7) thepartition wall '33 is connected at the bottom to theelements 34"of"the inner'wall. The billfold walls, as is customary, havea transverse line of foldtiabout'whi'ch onehali of the billitold may befolded on the other. 'Pass display envelopes H "which may 'be'identicalin form with those previously described are pivotally'connected adjacentthe outer, upper corners'of-the partition wall as by rivets '36. Inthis'arrangemerit the partition wall -33 "functions relative'to the passdisplay envelopes for the same purposes and in thesame manner as doessupporting memberiii in the form previously described, thefol'd 35engaging the leadingedges f the envelopes when'the billfold lsclo'sedto"prevent"outwarg1 swinging of the envelopes asdoesfold'ls. Sim?larlythe'portions "of-inner wall member 3| on billfold eitherleaves thelatter noticeably incomrplete and unsightly or the combination is madeat the expense of customary and desirable billfold structure such'asauxiliary pocket on the facedfi-thefinner walls of the bil-lfold. Thedesired. advantageous separation of the pass case iromi' tlebillfol'dmay be secured in accordance with the .lpresent. inventionwithout material alterationin the general appearance of the .billfoldo'rim pa'irm'en-t'dfiitsutility as such.

.As illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive, I secure the desiredseparability of the pass case from the bi liq by mak n the suno i e em n49 9f epas c sei nth fpnn o 'ase ara l 'pah i t n the b som ar m n flq'the i foldxthe l lfo d e n enera l ind ated a the pass case is inposition in the bill compartmee QI the fbillfold asflin' t sth ombuation uns s s su t n a as d r bed i ann st n h he "st res Q nin'F sfi n71- As best shown-in Fig-'9,thepassdisplay'envelopes l I, identicalinform Withth'ose previously de r bed a e p v tal rr bn e adja ent th ue u p c rne '01? up o ng m mber 1 for swinging'movement outwardly of theconfines f p o t n member, i 'the "e e ent t e envelopes; whether thesupport M is in partition forming position in the bill compartment as inFig-8 01f is separated therefrom- 'as'inFig. 9. Ass'hown the endportions '42 -of the member ii] are folded inwardly to form pockets inwhich h r r ni n Q th a i i d n elc es" seat, the *infolded ends -42 andthe "pockets *iprmed therebyservingthe same: purposes asmembers-Z 0,endi e po ts wh h y r de nth qnr t nb *Fisn Q 'd' rw a ii ddin ne es a uk o billio d' em m e lza e 7 preferably maderelatively narrow. As shown,

he nd on 42 a e d'in 'p s t on rt rivets 43 which form part of'thepivotal co nnecs tion of the' pass-'envelopesto' the support andbyadditional rivets 64 "which pass through spacing blocks 45 below theenvelopes. Blocks "45 keep the a al Of the up ortirqm bendin sharply etth 'heads 9 theri e s T lev e r s4?'ma of cursebe st h dpr q h is e ued in memb r 46 to o e th lower side of the pockets if' desired. Theuse'pi sp 1 11 a h we e efe ab e i a substantial'number of' envelopes isused. Men ber 40 is provided with a transverse line of "fold 46 whichfunctions in the samemanner and for the same purposes as fold lineslq-andei prethe turned over portion .48 or .theouter wall of thebillfold, (see Fig. 10) the remainder of portion 48 being cemented or.otherwise fastened down to give the edge of the billfold a-finishedappearance as is customary. The free ends of the tongues arerespectively locked in slits 49 formedin the folded edgeof theadjacentfront wall members 59 and 5| so thatend portionsof the upperedges of member 40- are engaged beneath the tongues as shown in Figs. 8and 11 when the pass case is seated in the billfold. The pass case maybe removed from the billfold by crimping thesupport M1 at the foldlines,- as shown in Fig. 12, to shorten its length sufficiently todisengage one end frombeneath the holding tongue.

Preferably in the several forms shown, the leading end edges of theenvelopes II are not only positioned sufiiciently close to thetransverse fold line of the support so as to be engaged thereby when thecase is closed, but are also sufiiciently close to each other so thatwhen the case is unfolded and the envelopes at each side of the foldline lie in the same plane, substantial outward swinging movement of theenvelopes is prevented by engagement of the leading end edges of theenvelopes on one side of the fold with those on the other side. Thisarrangement is of particular advantage in the billfold combinationsdescribed since the tendency of the envelopes to swing outwardlyaccidently is substantially minimized. By flexing the billfold includingthe envelope supporting member thereof, as diagrammatically indicated inexaggerated form in Fig. 13, so that the planes of the envelopesintersect beyond the borders of the envelopes, the pass displayenvelopes may be easily moved outwardly of the case. In the form shownin Fig. 1 and in Fig. 16 (later described) the envelopes may be releasedfrom interference by flexing the supporting member rearwardly about itstransverse line of fold in an obvious manner.

In Fig. 16 pass display envelopes M such as previously described arecombined with a billfold 53 having conventional auxiliary pocketsprovided on its inner face between wall members 54 and 55 which are atopposite sides of the transverse fold line 56 of the billfold. The passdisplay envelopes are normally positioned within the pockets as shownbut are pivotally connected to the wall members 55, as at 51, to beswung outwardly of the billfold pockets in substantially the same manneras described with regard to the similar pockets formed by members 20 inFig. 1. By my invention, the desired pass cards are more available foreasy selection and inspection than is the case with previousconstructions. As will be apparent, when a selected card is swung toposition for inspection, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the card isautomatically inverted so that it is in position to be read by theinspector without turning the pass case around and in most instanceswithout the pass case leaving the hands of the owner. It'will also beobvious that the pass case element of the combination shown in Figs. 8to 12 is incorporated in the billfold without necessitating the omissionor modification of any essential or desired auxiliary or other elementof the billfold per se. It is also apparent that when 7 conventionalscrew post 60, as shown inFig. 14,

for the pivotal connection of the pass envelopes to the support, or byusing any other suitable form-of releasable connection, such as a hoolchasp 61 as shown in Fig. 15.

I'claim: i i 1 1.1 pass case-including a supporting member havingportions foldable one upon the other about a transverseline of fold,pass display envelopes normally positioned within the borders of thesupporting member on oppositefsicles of said line of fold, meansconnecting the envelopes to the supporting member for pivotal movementin the planes of the envelopes, said means; being positioned adjacent acorner of the-envelopes and adjacent an edge of the supporting member topermit the envelopes to be swung outwardly of the confines of thesupporting member when the latter is unfolded, the leading edges of theenvelopes remote from their pivots being adjacent the said line of foldand in engageable proximity thereto when the supporting member isfolded, to prevent movement of the envelopes outwardly of the supportingmember.

2. A pass case including a supporting member formed of flexible materialand having portions foldable one upon the other about a transverse lineof fold, pass display envelopes normally positioned within the bordersof the supporting member on opposite sides of said line of fold, meansconnecting outer corners of opposite envelopes to the supporting memberadjacent one edge of the latter for pivotal movement in the planes ofthe envelopes, the adjacent edges of the envelopes being suificientlyclose to said line of fold to be engageable therewith when thesupporting member is folded to prevent substantial pivotal movement ofthe envelopes, and said adjacent edges of the envelopes being positionedin engageable proximity to each other to prevent substantial pivotalmovement of the envelopes when the supporting member is unfolded exceptWhen the supporting member is flexed to permit the envelopes on oppositesides of said fold line to swing past each other.

3. A pass case including a supporting member having portions foldableone upon the other about a transverse line of fold, at least two passdisplay envelopes positioned one at each side of the said line of foldand normally positioned within the border of the supporting member,means connecting a corner of each of said envelopes to said member forpivotal movement in the planes of the envelopes to permit swingingmovement of the envelopes outwardly of the confines of the said member,said envelopes being open along one edge for the insertion or withdrawalof pass cards and the like into and from the envelopes, and pocketscarried by the supporting member one at each side of the said line offold in which the envelopes are normally nested with the open side ofthe envelope adjacent a closed side of the pocket in which it is nested.

4. A billfold including a plurality of wall forming members providing anelongated bill compartment open along one long side thereof and closedat both ends and the other side, said billfold having a transverse lineof fold about which one .portion of the billfold may be folded upon theother, a partition forming member within the

